Old Colony Habitat for Humanity opens Family Service Applications August 15

Big news coming August 15!

Family Service Applications will be opening for our home build in Franklin August 15th. At Old Colony Habitat for Humanity, we believe in affordable housing for everyone — and we give a hand-up, not a hand out.

"Habitat partner family/families are selected based on the following guidelines and level of need as determined by: In order to qualify for our homeowner program, applicants must 

(a) have a need for safe and decent housing;  

(b) have lived or worked in our service area for at least a year; 

(c) attend homeownership / financial management seminars at our offices;  

(d) meet the HUD median income guidelines;  

(e) have secure employment, good credit, legal residency, no felony convictions, and no more than one misdemeanor;  

(f) be able to pay a down payment;  

(g) demonstrate an ability to pay a mortgage on time, in full, each month;  

(h) willing to partner with Old Colony Habitat for Humanity by completing the required sweat equity. The requirement is 250 hours of sweat equity hours."

Learn more here: https://oldcolonyhabitat.org/home-ownership/

Old Colony Habitat for Humanity opens Family Service Applications August 15

Trunk or treat scheduled at the Franklin Library - Oct 18

Trunk or treat scheduled at the Franklin Library - Oct 18

Families! Dress up and join us in the library parking lot for a safe, little-kid friendly morning of trick-or-treating in the daylight! The parking lot will be full of decorated trunks and activities!!

In case of rain, we will move indoors!!

If you'd like to participate as a trunk, please email Caleigh (ckeating@minlib.net)

Shared from -> https://www.facebook.com/share/p/15hLSDr6Vg/

How money has corrupted American values and institutions (video)

Scott Galloway in conversation on the Trevor Noah "What Now?" podcast:

"And I think where we came off the tracks is this idolatry of money. When I was a kid, my dad's boss had a slightly bigger house, but we all went to the same country club. We all went to the same school. Money buys you everything from better health care to better schools to a much broader selection set of mates. So we have become obsessed, understandably, with money.

The idolatry of the dollar and these tech innovators has gone berserk. And so the pursuit of the dollar, in my opinion, has crowded out almost all traditional character.  

Look what money has done to us. Look what it's done.  If you had a friend who was making Nazi salutes, a parent teacher conferences, and was being sued by two women for sole custody, their kids, and you had heard from credible sources that they were addicted to ketamine, wouldn't you move in and say, hey, boss, something's wrong here.

But not if you're rich, not if you can put a rocket into space or make a shit ton of money with EVs. Money has perverted us. It is crowded out all sense of character, of decency, of what it means to be a real man.

We have decided that you can get away with anything as long as you're rich. It's been a total, in my opinion, a lack of a moral failing.

You can listen to the full episode on YouTube -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_i11gj-iq1I

Or find Trevor Noah's "What Now?" on your other favourite podcast platforms...

Spotify - https://bit.ly/WhatNowOnSpotify

Apple Podcasts - https://bit.ly/WhatNowOnApplePodcasts

Trevor Noah's "What Now?"

Interdependence and Pickles! Aug 3 at 10 AM

The next service in our summer series is August 3rd at 10 AM.

Unitarian Universalism teaches us to honor the interdependent web of all existence.  This is a broad concept that ranges from individuals' roles in society to humanity's branch on the family tree of living things to the stardust in our cells.  

Interdependence and Pickles! Aug 3 at 10 AM 

Join us as we focus on exploring specific aspects of interdependence that involve pickles.  FUSF member Ann Gillette Parsley, who is studying to become a minister, will lead the service and provide the pickles!  (Please note, you will not have to eat the pickles -- all are welcome at UU churches, even people who do not like pickles.)

The First Universalist Society in Franklin (FUSF) is a Unitarian Universalist Welcoming Congregation located at 262 Chestnut Street, Franklin. Our Minister is Reverend Beverly Waring. 

For more information about FUSF please visit our website at Fusf.org. 

or contact us at info@fusf.org or call 508-528-5348.

Shared from -> https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1eraXabB2U/

FHS schedules youth soccer clinic as fund raiser - Aug 26

FHS schedules youth soccer clinic as fund raiser - Aug 26

Calling youth soccer players!

Join the Franklin High School Boys Soccer Team for a fun night of soccer skills and drills. All proceeds will benefit the Boys Soccer Program at FHS. Thank you for your support!

Event Details:

**Tuesday, August 26th from 6:00-7:30 pm on the Stadium Turf at FHS

**Open to boys and girls, entering grades 4-8

**Sign up and submit payment by August 3rd to guarantee a t-shirt.

**Cost: $30

**Please bring a ball and plenty of water to the clinic.

Sign up using the Google form below.

FHS Boys Soccer Youth Clinic ->   https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScnxeeOY5HewHQQX3fs8y207OhaS92g4QFTwp_B2WvQNbgWjA/viewform

Franklin Public Radio - wfpr.fm schedule for Friday, August 1, 2025

Yes, Franklin has it's own radio station -> wfpr.fm. Franklin Public Radio has a brand new schedule for the locally produced shows that fill our air waves. 

It is available anywhere, anytime at wfpr.fm or in the local Franklin, MA area at 102.9 on the FM dial.

Tune in to listen to the following:

 

Franklin Public Radio - wfpr.fm schedule for Friday

8:00 AM, 1:00 PM, and 6:00 PM - Franklin Matters Radio – Steve Sherlock covering Franklin, its local government, services, and events 

• This features my conversation with Amy Adams and her 'wind phone' as part of Healing with HeART" project -> https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/07/amy-adams-talks-about-wind-phone.html

9:00 AM, 2:00 PM, and 7:00 PM

10:00 AM, 3:00 PM, and 8:00 PM - Talkin’ the Blues – Jim Derick & Nick Remissong. 2 hours of awesome blues music, info, interviews

11:00 AM, 4:00 PM, and 9:00 PM - “The Vibe” show plays music for everyone searching for some enjoyment, some dance, a happy or thinking mood, and most importantly, having fun.  Tune in to wfpr.fm and listen to “DJ Vibe” spin music across many genres and join this new vibing experience

Get this week's program guide for Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm) online  http://franklin.tv/programguide.pdf   

Franklin TV schedule for Friday, August 1, 2025 (Your local Public, Education & Government "PEG" station)

• Franklin All Access TV - Our Public Access Channel (Comcast 6, Verizon 26) = FRIDAY

7:00 am Sons & Daughters of Italy: Paolo DiGregorio

8:30 am Frank's Musings: Supreme Court

10:00 am Riffin' on Main Street: Jacob Juncker

11:00 am Senior Connection: Mental Health

12:00 pm Brook'n'Cookin': Quinoa

12:30 pm Cooking with Linda: Trifles

1:30 pm Pizzapalooza: White Pizza

2:00 pm New England Candlepins: Summer 2018 Show 3

3:00 pm Winning Ways with the MIAA: Shaun Hart Pt 1

4:00 pm 4th of July 2025: Midnight Ride

6:30 pm Celebrate with Pride 2025: Sioo

• Franklin Pride TV - Our Educational Channel        (Comcast 8, Verizon 28) = FRIDAY

7:00 am Public School Event: Elementary Music Pt. 1 06-04-18

8:30 am Mental Health: Raeleen Sullivan

9:30 am All-Town Showcase 2024: Chorus and Orchestra

11:00 am FHS Graduation 2025

1:30 pm Franklin Fury Softball v Attleboro 07-22-25

2:30 pm FHS Concert Hour 02-26-25

4:00 pm FHS Varsity Baseball v Oliver Ames 03-31-25

9:00 pm FHS Theater Company: Cinderella

• Franklin Town Hall TV - Our Government Channel (Comcast 9, Verizon 29) = FRIDAY

8:00 am  Zoning Board of Appeals 06-05-25

2:00 pm  Zoning Board of Appeals 06-05-25

Get this week's program guide for Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm) online  http://franklin.tv/programguide.pdf 

Watch Listen Read all things that matter in Franklin MA

What's happening in Franklin, MA: Thursday, July 31, 2025 ???

Thursday, July 31

Library & Senior Center events

Raffle tickets for TRI-COUNTY COUGAR WRESTLING TEAM   Last Day today  (https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/07/raffle-tickets-for-tri-county-cougar.html)

7:30pm Musical Bingo (Teddy Gallagher's Irish Pub)

9:00pm Michael Rivelis (live music) (3 restaurant)

For additional details on Library & Senior Center events ->        

https://www.franklinma.gov/calendar.aspx?CID=37,24&showPastEvents=false

** Town Meetings today   **

Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) Meeting

Thursday, July 31 Time: 7:30 PM

https://ma-franklin.civicplus.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_07312025-1830 

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What's happening today in Franklin? 

Find the full Community event calendar  https://bit.ly/FranklinCommunityCalendar

If you have an event to add to the calendar, you can use the form to submit it for publication:  https://bit.ly/Submit2Calendar

The Town meeting calendar is found  https://www.franklinma.gov/Calendar.aspx
The School district calendar is found  https://franklinpublicschooldistrictma.sites.thrillshare.com/o/fpsd/page/school-calendar

"A Wreath of Franklin" scheduled to return Dec 13, 2025

That’s right—planning is already underway for this year’s winter arts and culture favorite, A-Wreath-of-Franklin! Join us this December as we celebrate seasonal festivities and community cheer. Details below…

The second annual “A-Wreath-of-Franklin” Festival promises to be bigger, happier and more celebratory than ever! 

"A Wreath of Franklin" scheduled to return Dec 13, 2025

With the theme “Franklin Welcomes the World” we do hint at soccer fans from across the globe visiting Franklin in 2026 but, we hope the theme means more than that. 

As America prepares to celebrate our 250th in 2026, we celebrate how Franklin is a community of immigrants from Europe, Asia, South America, North America, Africa and Australia from countries too numerous to list,”.

Plan to participate by decorating your wreath celebrating the theme “Franklin Welcomes the World.” 

Mark your calendars; Saturday, December 13th! There will be singing, dancing, art, crafts, special food items, holiday inspired beverages for all ages and of course festive wreaths decorated by Franklinites and our friends. The Franklin community gathering in festive holiday spirit will create holiday FUN for everyone." John Ristaino, Franklin Cultural Council Chair

To stay looped into Franklin Welcoming the World - check out our website here -> https://www.franklinma.gov/1177/Franklin-Welcomes-the-World.

Want to get more involved with A-Wreath-of-Franklin? You don't need to be on an official town committee or council to volunteer for this initiative! Please email Director of Arts, Culture and the creative Economy, Cory Shea (cshea@franklinma.gov).

Sign up for the Cultural Newsletter -> https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/72ozdo7

Mitzi & I review all the big events and activities for the Library for August 2025 (audio)

FM #1486 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 1486 in the series. 

This session shares my conversation with Mitzi Gousie, Programming and Outreach Librarian with the Franklin Public Library. We had our discussion on Monday, July 21, 2025 in the Franklin TV & Radio Studio.

 

We talk about 

• Reviewed the regular open hours, book sale and holiday scheduling for the month

• Closed on Sundays for summer, and winter due to budget reduction

• Book sale weekend August 15 & 16

• Library events for August 2025

• Family events

• Kiddos, or “littles”

• Teens

• Adults

Registration for those events required should be done through the Town website, Library page. There are nefarious folks trying to convince folks otherwise via Facebook. Be safe, use the official Town and Library pages.

The show notes include links to the Library page and to the calendar of events where registration for some of the events is required/recommended.

The recording runs about 42 minutes, so let’s listen in. Audio link -> https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-1486-franklin-public-library-august-2025-highlights-07-21-25/

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Whalemobile - Friday, Aug 1

Mitzi Gousie’s email -> mgousie@minlib.net 

Franklin Public Library page ->  https://www.franklinma.gov/233/Franklin-Public-Library 

Library event calendar -> https://www.franklinma.gov/942/Calendar-of-Events 

August Library newsletter -> (link to be added when available) 

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We are now producing this in collaboration with Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm) or 102.9 on the Franklin area radio dial. 

This podcast is my public service effort for Franklin but we can't do it alone. We can always use your help.

How can you help?

• If you can use the information that you find here, please tell your friends and neighbors

• If you don't like something here, please let me know

• And if you have interest in reporting on meetings or events, please reach. We’ll share and show you what and how we do what we do

Through this feedback loop we can continue to make improvements. I thank you for listening.

For additional information, please visit Franklinmatters.org/  or www.franklin.news 

If you have questions or comments you can reach me directly at shersteve @ gmail dot com

The music for the intro and exit was provided by Michael Clark and the group "East of Shirley". The piece is titled "Ernesto, manana"  c. Michael Clark & Tintype Tunes, 2008 and used with their permission.

I hope you enjoy!

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You can also subscribe and listen to Franklin Matters audio on iTunes or your favorite podcast app; search in "podcasts" for "Franklin Matters"